(Atlantic, IA)  –  Officials with the Atlantic Elks Lodge have announced, that on the evening of November 15th, in conjunction with a free meal provided to Atlantic area veterans and guests, the Atlantic Elks
Lodge was able to award ENF grant monies to three organizations. Four-thousand dollars was awarded to Natalie Ritter, Atlantic Community School District (ACSD) Nutrition Director, for the ACSD Superhero Fund, a fund set up in part to pay down the negative student meal account balance. Across the Atlantic school district, unpaid meal charges continue to accumulate as many families struggle to keep up with meal fee payments. While students are never denied a meal, the resulting debt must be paid from non-federal sources, as federal regulations prohibit the use of food service funds to cover bad debt. The Atlantic Elks say they are gratified to be able to provide funds to reduce the debt in this account which currently has a deficit of over $28,000.

Pictured are: Vicki Nordskog, Atlantic Elks Lodge grants coordinator; Natalie Ritter, ACSD Nutrition Director; and Darla Casady, Atlantic Elks Lodge grants committee member

Two-thousand dollars were then awarded to the Atlantic Kiwanis Club to help fund the Atlantic Head Start Backpack Program. The local Kiwanis Club created the Backpack Program eight years ago and has  maintained it for Atlantic Head Start families over the ensuing years. The program encompasses meal planning and working with Cass Health hospital staff regarding special dietary needs. There is coordination with local grocery stores and other food sources to acquire the produce and other meal items, along with recipes and other food preparation tips, to fill student’s backpacks at the end of each week of the school year. This year the Kiwanis Club hopes to expand the program to provide summer assistance as well as cooking classes and kitchen supplies. In addition to assistance with funding, Atlantic Elks Lodge members participate in crafting and reading activities with the children, and will also help with cooking classes and the acquisition of the kitchen supplies.

Lastly, $4,000 was awarded to the STEPS Family Treatment Court. S.T.E.P.S. stands for ’Success Through Empowering Parent’s Sobriety’. Family treatment courts (FTCs) are a specialized type of court where the courts and communities partner to support parents involved with the child welfare system who are struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues. The primary goal of FTCs is to safely reunite families by addressing parental substance abuse disorder and mental health needs, promoting long-term recovery, and ensuring children’s well-being. This is accomplished by intensive case management, frequent judicial monitoring, and access to a range of services and supports to address the unique needs of each family. Treatment teams include a judge, child welfare professional(s), substance use treatment professionals, attorneys, Iowa Department of Human Services case worker(s), family in-home services workers, mental health providers, domestic violence advocates and other agencies as needed.

Pictured are: Dianna and Bob Essington, Kiwanis Club members, and Carol Rosenbaum, Atlantic Elks Lodge grants committee.

In addition to completing their addiction or mental health treatment, individuals undergo regular drug screening, are asked to perform community service work and, at the appropriate point in their recovery,
are given the opportunity to participate in supervised family reunification activities. There has been an eighty percent reunification success rate for the families involved in the FTC program versus only seventeen percent without the program. The monies provided by the Atlantic Elks Lodge will assist the FTC program by providing funding to purchase incentives, fund family events, and purchase graduation gifts. The Elks will also provide venues and activities for the parents in the program to fulfill their community assistance requirements, and for the parents and children to participate in family reunification events.

Annually, B.P.O.E. (Benevolent Protective Order of Elks) Lodges nationwide are eligible to apply for various grants from the Elks National Foundation (ENF). The mission of ENF is to help Elks build stronger communities by investing in communities where Elks live and work.

Pictured are: District Court Judge Justin Wyatt; Karen Mailander, attorney and child advocate; and Sherry Kramer, FTC board member and Atlantic Elks Lodge grants committee member.